The Right Thing
by Iglika
Summary: Zee&Ro story. Who tried to destroy Zee? Would Zee stop Ro's wedding? Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Zeta Project'. I do not own any of its characters. It's just a fanfiic.

A/N As English isn't my native language, I want to thank my editing helpers for their editing help on this chapter.

The Right Thing

by Iglika

Chapter 1

**Zee's point of view**

I was lying on the ground.

A heap of metal.

Useless, unmovable heap of metal.

A heap of metal, which was able to think. And to have feelings.

As I was lying on my back, my eyes stared straight to the dark blue night sky above me. I couldn't move even my head. I was locked in my own body. I was paralyzed.

What had happened to Ro? Where was she? Was she alright? I wasn't able to find her. I wasn't able to help her. I wasn't able to do anything. I wasn't able to move.

A useless pile of metal.

The dark, starry sky was silent. The stars could see where Ro was now, but they wouldn't tell me. Because they weren't alive.

And what about me?

Was I alive?

A heap of metal with thoughts and feelings.

Who was I?

Or what?

Ro was sure that I was a person. She said I have a heart. She believed that I have a soul. Ro was the one, who brought my soul to life. She was the light for my eyes.

She was my strength to keep running from our enemies, to keep fighting for the truth. She was my boldness when I was shaken in faith, she was my smile when I was sad, she was my hope when I despaired. If it weren't for her, I would have given up a long time ago.

She was my reason to keep searching for my freedom, she was the reason I kept being so trusting, she was the reason I believe; she was the reason I live. She was everything. She was always here for me and I was here for her. Always.

And now I wasn't able to find her, I wasn't able to help her.

Cold, dark blue, starry sky.

How many days I would lie here, watching the sky till my last energy is gone?

I ordered my damaged body to project my Zee hologram.

I was Zee.

Ro had given me this name. I was Zee. I was her Zee.

My hologram flashed in its white and green light, it disappeared for a second, but then it managed to stabilize my Zee appearance.

It was better now. I had my dark blue eyes again, which had eyelids and were able to blink while I was looking toward the sky. I had lips now, which were able to move, I needed to bite them, to express the pain I felt.

Not a physical pain.

It was a deep, inner pain.

Where are you, Ro…

Where are you…

I need to hear your voice… I need to feel the touch of your hand… I need to know that you are safe and well… I want to know that you are alive and safe. I want to have you in my arms, while you're sleeping, and hear you breathing…

Why was I so helpless…?

The high trees above me rustled from a slight wind.

Can you find me, Ro?

How could you…

Even I had no idea where I was. My inner system for orientation was damaged; all I knew was that I was in some forest, far away enough from any people who could find me. Ro couldn't find me here.

A useless, unmovable heap of metal. Under my hologram and my material hologram I was a pile of worthless metal.

Your voice, Ro…

I need to hear your voice… I need to see your smile… I need to feel your touch… You are everything to me. I need to know that you are safe and well…

I closed my eyes, squeezing my eyelids.

Something wet and warm slid on my temples.

Tears?

I didn't know that my material covering was able to cry... indeed…I was more real than I even thought I could be…

I squeezed my eyelids again and new tears rolled down my temples.

The dark, starry sky above me. And the high branches of the trees. The wind touched the lock of my black hair, removing it from my forehead. It was a tender sensation, as if through the darkness, through the space, which separated us, Ro had touched me to assure me that the guilt wasn't mine…

No. I am the guilty one.

Ro… please, forgive me…

Forgive me that I didn't manage to protect you…

Forgive me that I failed…

Forgive me, Ro…

Please…

Forgive me…

to be continued…

A/N Thank you for reading! Please, please review! Your reviews are very, very important to me. A few years ago I removed this story because of the silence here and if there will be no comments now, I'll delete it again. I don't want too much; just a few words are enough for me. It's so easy – just click on the window below :) Please :)


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Zeta Project'. I do not own any of its characters. It's just a fanfic.

George is OC.

As English isn't my native language I want to thank Junoluver and Wtchcool for their editing help on this chapter.

The Right Thing

by Iglika

Chapter 2

**The events here are taking place before the events in Chapter 1.**

**Ro's point of view**

George?

He was…

Human.

A real guy who was in love with me. Wasn't it enough? My feelings didn't matter. Or they didn't have to. I didn't have to be lead by my feelings, did I? I couldn't be insane; I had to be rational at least once in my life. And…

There was no reason for Zee to come to my... wedding…

I didn't want to know where he was now and what he had been doing lately. He probably had no idea of what would happen after a few minutes. And it was better that way.

I gave him enough. I gave him seven years of my life. I kept my promise. I helped him to find Dr. Selig. And Zee got his freedom. He was free for real.

I hoped our fairly tale would have a happy ending moreover as Dr. Selig made several upgrades on Zee, making him not just a semi-organic synthoid, but as much of a real…man as I had never dared even to think he could be…

Zee didn't ask me to stay though. I knew him, it wasn't like he didn't want me by his side, but he didn't venture to talk about that, he waited for me to give him a hint what he would have to do. But this time I had said nothing at all.

Did I harass him waiting for him to make the first move, waiting for him to say what he thought about us? But I was angry with him because of his silence! I was angry with him because of his excessive kindness; because of his willingness to weigh down his feelings; I was angry with him because of his indecision to say that he didn't want me to leave! I knew he felt uneasy to hold me back, he thought he had no right to ask me this and his self-castigation hurt me. I had done everything I was able to do in order to give him more confidence, but obviously for all of those seven years I didn't manage to change his mind, I didn't manage to prove to him that he was real enough.

Yes, I harassed him by answering his silence with my silence. And yes, I was angry with him because he didn't dare to forget who he was, because he didn't dare to believe that I wanted to be with him. And then…

Then…it happened. The faraway hug. The faraway hug I was frightened of. The faraway hug we had experienced two times till now, the faraway hug, which was like standing on the edge of a precipice and if we made even a step away from each other, we would fall in that chasm. And we fell. We divided. And we fell.

I was on the bottom now. It was a very beautiful bottom indeed, a bright smiling bottom, which pretended to be my happiness. But it was the bottom of the precipice one way or other.

And I was sure he was on the bottom of his own chasm as well.

To be continued…

A/N Thank you so much for all the reviews for Chapter 1! Please keep telling me what you think, no matter when you will read this chapter; please leave me at least a few words! Thank you in advance! :)


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Zeta Project'. I do not own any of its characters. It's just a fanfic.

I own George's character.

As English isn't my native language I want to thank Junoluver and Wtchcool for their editing help on this chapter.

The Right Thing

by Iglika

Chapter 3

**Ro's point of view**

I looked **'**round the huge room. Maybe I would like this place if the whole situation was different.

The blue summer sky beyond all the windows and all of those flowers in the room probably would bring joy. But not to me. Between those windows and coil flowers; from a dozen huge mirrors I met a dozen reflections of a dozen sad blonde girls, dressed in long white gowns. So many mirrors could help the bride to be sure she looks alright from every angle anyone could see her. But that didn't matter to me. I had even sent out all of my maids-of-honor. I needed to be alone.

But I wasn't. My memories of Zee refused to leave me; it was as if I felt his presence beside me and I couldn't rid myself of the longing to recall him over and over again.

I turned toward one of my dozen reflections and I stared at it.

There was a bride there, in front of me. But it wasn't really me. Despite the incredible wedding dress I wore, despite the fine, sheer bridal veil over my short blonde hair, despite the perfect make up, which made my blue eyes more blue, it was just a sad, almost transparent shadow of that girl who I used to be.

Feelings! Those were feelings again! Useless, stupid feelings, which were able to make my life harder and nothing more.

I was about to accomplish the only rational thing in my life and I didn't need all those feelings.

Well, I didn't find my family, indeed.

But I had Casey. He will lead me on the path between the church's benches, between all the guests, he'll lead me toward George and to Reverend's question: 'Who gives this woman to this man?' Casey will answer: 'I will'.

It was time.

I took my white bridal bouquet, I stood up and my wedding dress rustled around me with the soft sound of its silk fabric.

I opened the door.

There was too much noise, too many laughing, smiling faces and those shrilly voices of my maids-of-honor…

With a proud smile Casey waited for me. I shoved my hand under his elbow, the huge door opened in front of us and welcoming and accompanied by the ceremonial music with slow, solemn steps my brother began to lead me on the path, between the church's benches, between all those smiling faces, my brother led me toward George, standing there, in the end of the path, with an enraptured, amazed smile on his face.

George…

I looked at his almost fragile figure and I saw one other figure instead - a tall one, a strong one…

I looked at George's face and I saw other sharp and square lineament instead…

I looked at his hazelnut hair and I saw a black one…

I looked at his brown eyes and I saw two navy blue eyes instead…

One more step toward George…

Then…

Another one…

One more step toward this unknown man who will be my husband.

This unknown man.

Unknown, not because I didn't know him for real, but because there was nothing to be known.

His soul was foreign to me. It wasn't like he didn't love me, he loved me. But I didn't love him. And there was no touch between our souls, no point of contact, no sharing, no understanding; there was no warmth, no sparkle; there was…nothing.

It didn't matter. At least I was doing the right thing and everything will be at its place. Home, kids, husband.

One more step toward George…

One more step toward this unknown man…

I was doing the right thing, yes; I repeated this to myself over and over again, I was doing the right thing for the first time of my life.

And everybody was here.

Bucky with his girlfriend and his parents was here; Terry, actually Batman, as I already knew who he really was, with his wife Dana were here and Max was here too; Sheriff Wendell Morgan, actually my…Dad…and Tiffy with Walt were here too; and Agent Bennet was here with his family and his agents' team; and of course Agent Lee, West and Rush; even Colonel Lemack was here; Jason and his family; the no-tech leader and his daughter; Dex and Carl, the tornado fighting brothers and Kevin with his girlfriend and his family were here too; and Dr. Selig was here with his assistant, actually his daughter Andrea Donoso and some relatives, who I still didn't know…

And everybody was happy, everybody was content with me, everybody was turned towards me, everybody was smiling at me…

Except…

One tall man with strong shoulders, with sharp, square lineament, black hair and navy blue eyes, so sad now, so desperate…

Zee just stood there with his official black suit. And he looked at me. Insistently, underneath his black forelock, which hung down over his wistful blue eyes.

Why had he come?

Why was he here?

What did he want from me? To make my pain more unbearable than it was?

To be continued…

A/N Thank you for reading! I'll appreciate every comment you will write. To me silence means that you don't like my writing, so if you actually like it – please review!

To the anonymous guest who left a comment for Chapter 2 – you might want to read my fanfic "Hide and Seek" you will find a lot of Zee's hologram things there :) In this story my idea is for something different, if you will keep reading, you will see :)


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Zeta Project'. I do not own any of its characters. It's just a fanfic.

I own George's character.

As English isn't my native language, I want to thank Junoluver and Wtchcool for their editing help on this chapter.

The Right Thing

by Iglika

Chapter 4

I approached Zee... slowly, with each step I approached him...

Smiling faces all around me... and his sad face, so sad... with a wild longing in his deep blue eyes…

I approached him... I was…just in front of him yet… I couldn't tear away my eyes from his eyes... and I… stopped...

All the guests, as one person, let go an astonished, shocked sigh of exclamation.

I'll come to myself, just give me a minute, I'll come to myself... don't give up, Ro! Do the right thing!

What was…'the right thing'? To marry someone I didn't love? To marry someone only because…

There was no reason.

I stood there. Right before Zee.

And George…yes, he was somewhere too, in the distance…

I stood there between my two choices, between my two ways of life, between George and Zee…

Zee, whom I loved.

And George, whom I didn't love.

Zee…

C'mon, Zee, do something, do something insane at least once in your life! Take me from here, c'mon, Zee, take me! We can run from here, we can escape this trap as we had escaped all the traps on our way!

I still stood in front of him and he still looked at me.

Would Zee do something at all?

Could he steal me in front of all those people, could he confess that he dared to love me?

If he would take me from here, I would follow him even at the world's end!

The wild desire to run with him, the wild desire to sense his warm hand holding my hand… the wild desire to be with him…

His navy deep blue eyes weren't telling me, 'Go ahead, do the only right thing in your life', his yearning eyes were telling me, 'I love you, Ro. I know who I am. I know _**what**_ I am, but I love you.'

He reached his hand towards me, my white bridal bouquet fell down on the floor the moment Zee grabbed my hand. My other arm slipped out of Casey's elbow, I took up the edge of my long wedding dress, Zee's fingers gently squeezed my hand tighter and…

We ran…

"He-e-e-y! He stole my girl! The synthoid stole the bride! Don't you see, the synthoid stole my bride!" cried out George behind us.

The synthoid he said. Zee looked so real and still he remained a synthoid not only in George's mind.

Yes, Zee was a synthoid! And this synthoid stole the bride! Zee stole me, he did something insane at last; he did the right thing and I'll follow him wherever he will lead me…

My bridal veil floated behind me while we ran back to the door. We ran hand in hand, we ran as we did it for all of those years and I felt the familiar sensation of his firm, warm hand holding mine and I felt right, I felt safe…

To be continued…

Please review! I need to know that you read this story in order to post the next chapters!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Zeta Project'. I do not own any of its characters. It's just a fanfic.

I own George's character.

As English isn't my native language I want to thank Antje and Wtchcool for their editing help on this chapter.

The Right Thing

By Iglika

Chapter 5

**George's point of view**

All the guests bolted after me toward the church door. Everybody screamed and gave me advice on how to stop the runaways.

Ro and Zeta jumped into the synthoid's limousine and vanished among the other vehicles on the street.

I didn't climb up to my car. I didn't follow them. Why should I? Ro had got away from me. I had lost her. She wouldn't come back. I wasn't capable of bringing her back. No one was. Because it was senseless. You can't keep someone's heart in a cage, like a bird in love. Even if it's a golden cage. One day you will find this heart dead.

Ro wasn't guilty. There was only one who was guilty…

"George! Why are you standing like this! Do something! Stop them!"

I didn't answer.

The bright green grass around the church, the flowers, the clear blue sky and all those officially dressed people, who had come to my wedding… This was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. But it was a chaos. And in ruins. Because I had built my hope on illusions. It was an illusion that Ro had forgotten Zeta. That was impossible. It was an illusion that she had wanted to marry me. Ro loved him. Zeta. She had never stopped loving him. I had tried to mislead myself that to be a human being is a privilege. But that didn't matter to her. Ro was different. Despite that he is a synthoid, she loved Zeta.

Yes, she loved him. That was the truth. The fact that I loved her didn't matter. I wasn't the only one. She had told me how Batman, Brett and Dex had had a crush on her. And not only them. It was easy to fall in love with Ro. Beautiful, charming, charismatic… And unreal.

Yes, unreal.

Just as her Zeta looked like a human, but he wasn't, she looked like a common girl, but she wasn't. It wasn't easy to impress her, to catch her attention, to move her heart. And the reason wasn't merely her sarcasm . . . the way she had become used to the difficulties . . . or the way she was a real action hero . . . not even her brave character. . . She was more than all this.

Ro had a tender soul, deep as a fresh well, but she hid it under a solid wall.

Just being human wasn't enough to break this wall. She needed someone by her side someone, who had to be everything she wasn't, someone who had to be everything she dreamed of. I didn't manage to be that someone. I didn't manage even to reach her soul. I didn't manage to enter her heart. It was impossible. Because the place was taken already. Someone else was already there. And it was Zeta.

I still stood on the parking lot and stared at the moving cars on the street. The guests had surrounded me, kept giving me advice and most of all my mother insisted that I had to call the police.

Sheriff Morgan and Agent Bennet were beside me. Two real crags: the sheriff with his little bit clumsy but imposing figure and rounded mustache; and the agents' boss – an athletic guy with green glasses and sharp features. They both were taller than me and so stern now that they looked like bodyguards. Of course that a police officer and a federal agent could be in my favour right now. But I didn't want to call the police or to alert the NSA. The more so, as neither Sheriff Morgan nor Agent Bennet were inclined to chase the synthoid. They had tried to separate Zeta and Ro. They had failed. And now they didn't want to try to do this again. Or actually – ever again.

"C'mon, George, call the police!" my mother urged for the hundredth time.

No. I wouldn't call the police. The synthoid was a free citizen now, he and Ro were rehabilitated and I didn't want to send anyone after them. I didn't want to cause Ro troubles. She had had enough problems, during all those years while she had run with Zeta. I knew that it would be a real miracle if I found them. But I had to try. I had to find them. Alone.

I had to deal with all this. Alone. That was my job.

Only mine.

to be continued…

Thank you for reading. Please review, your opinion is important to me. Please don't leave me in silence, please review!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Zeta Project'. I do not own any of its characters. It's just a fanfic.

I own George's character.

As English isn't my native language, I want to thank Antje and Wtchcool for their help on this chapter.

The Right Thing

by Iglika

Chapter 6

**Zee's point of view**

We had stopped aside of the magway again, kissing… and… It wasn't like only Ro wanted to convince herself that we could kiss. I needed to prove it to myself as well, over and over again.

The tender warmth of her lips…y-y-yes…the tender warmth wet of her lips, I was able to feel it, that was the last upgrade Dr. Selig had put in my new body, the ability to feel, but…

Did I have the right to steal her like that today?

Ro…

I loved her. I…I held her in my arms now. I held a bride in my arms.

Was it possible for Ro to be my wife for real?

We kept kissing and it was unbelievable, but I was still confused, perplexed and so nervous, I couldn't overcome myself and I still felt guilty. Did I have the right to steal her like that today? Was it fair toward George?

Of course not!

Probably he was a good man, no, _he_ _was_ a good man as soon as he loved Ro. As soon as she had promised to marry him, she had estimated that he was a good person. And I was sure that all he had wanted was to make her happy. I hated to hurt people even if it wasn't physically, but with words or with my actions...

I had stolen Ro because of her. She wasn't happy. She didn't want this marriage. I had seen her face beneath the wedding veil. She didn't love George. She loved me. And all I wanted to do was to make her happy…

Ro waved a hand, smiling, to the next car, which greeted us as several others – actually almost without a break. She didn't want me to make a hologram over her in order to hide her white, long wedding gown while we walked down on the streets or even here, aside the magway…

Dressed in the real black clothes of my official suit, I looked like a real bridegroom beside her, but for a just married couple to walk like that on the streets and aside the magway was absolutely unusual one way or another.

I held Ro by the hand, she was so happy, so smiling, as I had never seen her before. I wanted to forget everything aside from us – only us - as she had done, but…I couldn't.

She wanted us to leave our car and merely walk, trying to comfort me by listing all the crazy ways she knew for a couple to get married or begin a honeymoon: wedding on a plane and then jumping with parachutes; wedding underwater using aqualungs, honeymoon on a boat; honeymoon in a space shuttle, in a cave, in the jungle, on a snowy mountain; or honeymoon riding horses or bicycles. . . .Why not just walk on foot then!

It was funny that Ro listed things like that, as it was my usual way of speaking. Yes, I knew about all those weird ways for marriages and honeymoons, I had records for even more in my memory, but that didn't matter…well, yes, why not walk on foot, but…we…we weren't married…

I didn't voice my worries though, I kept holding Ro by the hand; I kept feeling the new thrill, while I kissed her each time when she stopped, looking at me and expected me to do this. I looked at her while we walked aside the road, while she smiled at me or waved to the cars, which sent regards to us, as we looked like a just married couple. The people of those passing cars didn't know who I really was; they didn't know we weren't married at all.

I really had never seen Ro so happy, being with me. Yes, I had never seen her so happy. I always tried to please her and I knew I would keep doing that, but now it was more. If my love was really the reason for her to be so happy, I would do anything to keep surrounding her with my love…

Almost had I begun to sound like a broken record, repeating, over and over again, how much I loved her, but that was the truth. Knowing that she loved me too, knowing that she had wanted me to steal her from that ceremony, I could feel, deep inside of me, that I was as happy as she was.

Then why couldn't I allow myself to express that happiness?

Why did I want, over and over again, to convince myself that I was the one she really needed? Why did I want so badly to assure myself that she would never regret she had chosen me? And why did I try to hide my fears behind my usual wish to protect her?

I asked Ro if she was tired of walking so long. She looked at me, smirking. 'Just a little longer, Zee! Isn't it beautiful? That blue sky above us, that plain around us, and those cars greeting us! You have a cell-phone, you can call a taxi and we'll go to some town, sit in some restaurant, stay in some hotel. You know how to take care of me. Stop thinking of this, okay? Oh, you can remove the high heels of my shoes. It would be easier for me to walk without them.'

Then I took her hand again and we had kept walking…

Ro knew I wasn't anxious because we had no defined aim or direction. That wasn't something new for us at all. I could take care of her, that wasn't the reason of my troubled mind as well and she knew it.

She just…she didn't want us to talk about my worries. It was more like she wanted me to be the one who had to voice them first. She didn't want to lead me forward, showing me what I had to do. She was sure I was able to share my troubles with her without waiting for her to urge me.

I had to believe that her smiling eyes and her tender hand, trustfully snuggled in my hand, was enough proof that I was the one she loved and the only one she needed. Although this was reassuring my concern remained. I hated myself for being so insecure...

Obviously the best I could do right now was talk.

I wouldn't be able to get rid of my confusion and guilt if I kept silent, so I said carefully, "Ro, what I did, stealing you like that from the wedding, was completely insane, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, definitely!" she answered glancing at me with a smirk, then she turned her gaze back at the plain around us. "That was really insane, Zee. You did something _**very **_insane. At last."

She was not just glad and happy, she was literally proud of me because of what I did! There was no doubt about it. But to be honest, these words of hers weren't exactly what I wanted to hear; although I knew her well enough to be sure she wouldn't say anything else.

Too many explanations about her feelings weren't something usual for her. More over right now, while we walked beside the magway. I didn't have to wait to hear: '_Zee, you are the one for me!'_

Ro wouldn't say anything to me like that right now. She wanted me to rely on my inner sense that all this was exactly what she felt towards me. She wouldn't explain anything to me, because she really wanted to make me talk.

So I said even more insecurely, "But what about George, Ro? What I did wasn't fair toward him. I'm sure he loves you."

"But I don't love him. What you did was fair towards me. You fixed the mistake I made. It was all my fault, Zee. I didn't have to promise George I'd marry him. I'm happy with you, Zee. I wouldn't be happy with him and he wouldn't be happy with me as soon as he knew that I don't love him. What you did was the right thing. He will understand."

"But Ro…what about if I…if I will never be a real human-" I cut my words at her fast look. It wasn't like she was too angry with me, but she was angry one way or another. Just as I couldn't continue to keep my worries in silence, she couldn't continue to keep her thought in silence.

"First" she said, unusually harsh, "you never know what Dr. Selig or other scientists like him would invent after only a few years! And second," her voice became softer, "people don't have to know who you really are, Zee. We can travel all around the world. I want to see so many countries! We can make a long trip with your unlimited cred card! And that trip could take us a couple of years if we want it to, right?"

"Right, but…sooner or later…we'll come back…"

"Home" she emphasized.

"Y-y-yes, we'll come back… home" I repeated a little bit embarrassed.

"You have no idea how warm this word 'home' sounds to me as it's being said by you!" She smiled at me allowing for a moment all of her love to surround me gently, making me feel that thrill I had begun to sense every time I kissed her.

But it was just for a moment. She asked with her usual tone of voice, "So what about it?"

"I mean... what will we do if…if even after years I'll remain... just…as I am now…"

"You know perfectly well you're real enough. Anything else?"

"Yes" I nodded, but I silenced and I avoided her gaze. I had no strength to say, looking at her eyes, what worried me most, "Ro, I have no DNA and if I remain what I am now, you…you wouldn't be able…you wouldn't be able to have kids…because of me…"

She wasn't surprised by my words. She wasn't even angry with me this time. She answered me with such conviction as if she had thought about it a long time ago. I was sure she had thought about it, just like me, only, unlike me, obviously she had a solution.

"We can adopt kids, Zee. You're so kind with kids. You'll be a great father. I'm sure you will. There's no reason for you to worry about it."

"But that wouldn't be fair towards you, I mean…you're able to have kids and if you marry Geor-"

"Can you do me a favor?" she interrupted me.

I looked at her blankly.

"Don't offer me to marry George anymore or anybody else except you. Ever again. Okay? Look, Zee, some people just can't have kids, that happens. I've been thinking about me the same way. What would happen if I hadn't been able to have kids and you had been able? Would you leave me because of that? You wouldn't, right?"

"Of course I wouldn't leave you, but Ro-"

"Just think that way about all this, Zee. Please."

Her eyes glittered with tears she was unable to hide.

I hugged her around her shoulders, drawing her closer to me. She wrapped her arm around my waist in return and we kept walking in silence.

I didn't even notice a hover car, which had slowed beside us. The car stopped a few steps in front of us, blocking our way…

to be continued…

Thank you for reading! Thank you for all the reviews I received so far, please keep telling me what you think, even one single word from you, dear readers, gives me wings! No matter when you will read this chapter, please review!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Zeta Project'. I do not own any of its characters. It's just a fanfic.

I own George's character.

As English isn't my native language, I want to thank Antje and Wtchcool for their editing help on this chapter.

The Right Thing

by Iglika

Chapter 7

**Zee's point of view**

We were still hugging each other, looking at George, who had climbed out of his car.

Maybe the three of us really had to talk.

But…

What if George had come for revenge?

What if he would try to hurt Ro?

I wouldn't allow it!

I was ready to protect Ro with all my strength.

I looked straight to George's eyes.

I was still a synthoid. And I would defend Ro with everything I had and everything I was.

A whole eternity passed. We three still stood motionless, in the thick quiet.

It was Ro who broke the silence first, "Look, George, I'm very sorry, but…"

"It's okay, Ro," he interrupted. There was no sign of anger in his voice, but his true intentions remained obscure.

"I wouldn't try to bring you back, Ro," he continued. "I know how much you love Zee, and I know how much he loves you too. I knew it all the time and I was sure that sooner or later the two of you would reunite. It's good that this happened before the wedding rather than after a few years."

It seemed that he was sincere, but it wasn't me only who still had had bad presentiments. I felt how Ro hugged me tighter and I answered by hugging her tighter.

I was faster than any human. If he would try to shoot at us, I would shoot at him even if he still would raise his hand.

Obviously George had noticed the way Ro had pressed herself against me. He smirked and slowly he lifted both his hands with open palms in order to prove that he's not going to use any weapon.

"I won't harm you. The reason I wanted to find you is that I have to apologize."

To apologize?! It was I, the one, who ruined the wedding, what…

"I was selfish," George slowly said, even more slowly letting down his hands. "Zeta, Ro…I…I beg you for your forgiveness. I did an injustice. I love you, Ro, but that doesn't make my guilt less. I knew that you were confused - your feelings toward Zeta. I knew you wouldn't confess that you love a synthoid. I used your fear. I tried to make you even more insecure. I wanted you to feel guilty because of your love. And that was mean. That was unfair. I am the guilty one. I wanted to make you marry me at any costs. I did my best to point out that any human is better than any synthoid. Normally this would have been true. But Zeta is different. I know you're more than a synthoid, Zeta. I wanted to ignore this fact. I wanted to close my eyes to reality. Ro, I wanted to force you to marry me, but that was stupid. Please forgive me, Ro. Forgive me, Zeta."

Ro just nodded.

I nodded too. "It's okay, George. What you had done is because of Ro."

"And what you did today, Zeta, is because of the same reason. Only you did the right thing."

I smiled, a little bit awry.

It seemed that everything was cleared up now, but…

"There is more." George avoided looking at Ro and at me. "I'm really guilty, and I'll understand if this time you won't forgive me."

"What are you talking about?" asked Ro sullenly.

"Well…" He stammered. "I found important information. A few months ago I found a scientist, who designs artificial organic human bodies for robots. He could make Zeta human, Ro, but I didn't tell you about that. I'm really sorry."

I felt how Ro's hand grabbed the texture of my jacket.

"You...twerp!" Ro yelled, practically jumping out of her skin.

George still didn't dare to look at her. "I'm so sorry, Ro…"

"There's no excuse for this! Do you realize that?" She was still mad.

"I know, Ro. I will understand if you won't talk to me anymore."

Ro shook her head negatively. She was fast to anger, but she made conclusions just as fast.

"The past is past," she said bitterly. "It's now that counts." And she looked at George. "Do you have this scientist's address now?"

George nodded. "I remembered it from the moment I saw it."

I needed just one second to record it when he said it.

Then we sank into awkward silence again.

"Well…" George faltered for a second time. "I could go and leave you alone, but…to walk along the magway, it's too dangerous. Come to my car, I'll take you. Actually, where exactly do you want to go? You can't reach the next town walking on foot!"

George was right.

Because of all of my worries, I had failed to notice that it was really dangerous to walk beside the magway. No matter how unfair he had been toward Ro and me, now he was right and he tried to help us. I said confusedly, "Thank you, George. It's my fault. I didn't have to expose Ro to such a risk."

"No one is perfect, Zee! That only makes you more human!" Ro said fast, and then she added, "Now what?"

"I can call a taxi" I replied.

"I'll be really glad to drive you wherever you want."

George offered his help again. "I won't stay with you. I'll go back the moment you tell me we are at the place you want to be."

"You know what," Ro said looking at him, still frowning, "there is a way you can redeem your fault, George. You can drive us to this scientist. Then you can tell the guests that when Zee becomes human, I'll marry him. There will be a wedding after all. And you are invited too. But there's no way for you to steal me from Zee!"

"I'm not even going to think about it!" he answered with a sincere smile.

Ro and I joined in his laughter.

Then he added, "Ro? Zeta?"

I looked at Ro as always when we had to make a decision to follow someone or not and being sure she agreed with me, I said, "We'd be glad if you'd be nice enough to take us to this scientist."

When Ro and I sat in the back seat and George took his place on the driver's seat, I hugged Ro around her shoulders and I whispered in her hair. "Do you know, I never actually asked you something."

She smirked, "Ask me then!"

I smiled a little bit confusedly and said quietly, "Would you marry me, Ro?"

She looked for a long time in my eyes. She kissed me and snuggled up to me with her face against my chest. "Of course I will marry you, Zee. Even if we would never find this scientist."

to be continued…

Please don't leave me in silence. Please review.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Zeta Project'. I do not own any of its characters. It's just a fanfic.

I own George's, Dr. Richard Simon's and Annabel's characters.

As English isn't my native language, I want to thank Antje and Wtchcool for their editing help on this chapter.

The Right Thing

by Iglika

Chapter 8

**Ro's point of view**

I really didn't know why we both accepted George's offer to take us to the scientist. The address was enough. Zee had to call a taxi and then we could go by ourselves. There was no need for George to escort us.

The atmosphere in the car was tense and awkward. The only thing George said was that actually he hadn't found this scientist just so. Dr. Richard Simon had phoned George. Knowing that George would marry me, Dr. Simon wanted to reach Zee through me. This scientist wanted to make Zee human. Zee wasn't persecuted anymore, so Dr. Simon's wish to help Zee seemed really favorable. That made me angry at George again. If Zee had become human already, that whole thing with this rash wedding could have been avoided. Of course. That was the reason why George hadn't told me about Dr. Simon. I should have married Zee already.

So we had nothing to talk of now and we spent all the traveling in a heavy, depressing silence.

I didn't want George to come with us to Dr. Simon's lab. My ex-fiancé's presence around us was more than enough. At least George kept his word and the moment we climbed out of the car, he left us.

This time I felt uncomfortable in my wedding gown. Zee made a hologram over me. I 'wore' jeans and a tank-top again. Then he bought me real clothes, and after I changed, we went to Dr. Simon's lab.

Actually we entered his office first.

The doctor gave us a hearty welcome, but…

I was confused.

Dr. Simon was younger than I expected. He was in his late twenties and that really surprised me…

No. I didn't have to be so astonished. Bucky was a genius and he was even younger than this man.

The comparison was quite suitable. The scientist was as brown-haired and chestnut-eyed as Bucky. Well, Dr. Simon was much more handsome than Bucky, indeed, but then, his proud expression was the same. Something like: _'You know that I know everything, eh?'_

Whatever. If Dr. Simon was capable of helping Zee, that would be the most important thing. No matter the doctor's expression.

Obviously, though, Zee had his own reasons to be reserved toward the scientist.

Zee didn't stretch his hand for a handshake. He had already enough bad experiences. Harry Lux, not taking Zee's hand, pretending not to notice Zee's gesture, for the sake of humiliating Zee. And then Dr. Boyle. He had stuck on Zee's palm a device, which blocked Zee's unlimited cred card.

It was hard for Zee's polite nature not to stretch a hand saying 'hello', but he was mature enough and wise enough to value the cautiousness more than any courtesy.

Dr. Simon noticed Zee's unwillingness for a handshake and he laughed in a loud voice, "Well! You have Dr. Boyle's syndrome? I see your reasons! That, what he did to you, was very barbaric indeed!"

Zee frowned, "How do you know that?"

"I had to know everything about you, Zeta. So I dare to say that I do know everything about you."

Zee didn't like it at all. And I didn't like it as well. It wasn't enough excuse for leaving immediately, but it was suspicious enough not to put trust in this man. And that was bad. We had come here with hopes, and not to be able to trust him…that was really very bad.

The door slid aside, and a young attractive woman with long fire-red hair and bright green eyes entered the office.

"Let me introduce you to my assistant, Miss Annabel Harris," smiled somehow knowingly Dr. Simon.

Zee didn't stretch his hand for a handshake again, but his more than polite tone made me bristle up.

"You have a very beautiful name, Annabel!" said Zee with a strange new smile, which I had never seen so far on his face.

What was that?! Just a few hours ago he asked me do I want to marry him! What was that now?!

Visibly flattered, Annabel smiled, looking at him with interest and admiration.

Hey! He's mine!

"Zee is a very cute name!" she returned the compliment. "Zee comes from Zeta, right? I'm so glad to meet you at last! A synthoid like me!"

Annabel was a synthoid?! It had been a long time ago when, on our first meeting, I had realized that Zee was a synthoid. I had forgotten this feeling, the surprise that the person in front of you is a synthoid, not a human being…

Zee didn't look astonished like me. He told me he'd found a way lately to detect if anyone uses hologram, so he was clear about what Annabel really was.

She was the first female synthoid he met personally, aside of those who we had seen in the top secret NSA debriefing post. Was this the reason for his strange, impressed smile? Was he more overwhelmed than he looked?

Was he able to forget about me?

His voice was more than merely polite again, when he said, "I know you're a synthoid too." And I couldn't help, but feel the same wild jealousy as when he had kissed Tiffy.

It seemed that Dr. Simon was amused at the scene. I wished to grab Zee's hand and leave this place immediately!

But I couldn't risk losing Zee's chance to become a human. So I tried to repress my stupid jealousy.

"There's no problem for me to start the process of transformation right away. But this is a serious decision; therefore I would like to give you one more chance to discuss it. Come, Annabel, our guests need to talk in private a little bit," Dr. Simon and Annabel left the office.

When the door slid behind them, Zee turned towards me with his usual expression of concern. "What's wrong, Ro? Do you really doubt that I have to become a human?"

"Of course not! But it's good that we are alone for a little while."

"Yes…but…why, Ro?" he asked as calmly and innocently as ever.

"Don't you get it?"

"You're angry with me, that's for sure, but I can't understand why…"

I was tempted to keep him wondering a little bit longer why I was so mad, till he realized, on his own, what the reason of my anger was, but we really had no time. So I said sulkily, "She's very beautiful, isn't she?"

Nah! That wasn't fair at all! But I really couldn't resist nagging him about her!

"Her hologram, and I guess her material covering as well, are the same as mine. I was built as Infiltration Unit, Ro, no one would discover I'm not human. She's build with the same technology. But her appearance has a prototype. The not long ago passed away Dr. Simon's wife, Missis Annabel Simon."

"How do you know that?!"

"Annabel sent me her ID, her internal description."

"Anyway. That wasn't the answer of my question."

"Is she beautiful? Yes, she is, as long as obviously the real Missis Simon-"

"Do you like her?"

"Excuse me?"

He had to be very surprised and perplexed indeed, as instead to say just 'what', he had used this expression 'excuse me' as he used it in the beginning, when we didn't know each other so well.

"Are you falling in love with her, Zee?"

"I'm not falling in love with her, Ro! How could I, since I love you?!"

"Don't be so naïve! Feelings are changeable!"

"Yes, they are, but not the feeling of love I have toward you!"

"How could you be so sure?"

"I don't know. I just know that I love you. And that wouldn't change. We are here because I want to become a human and marry you, Ro. Wasn't it you who taught me that sometimes feelings couldn't be explicable. They just exist and you merely know what you feel. And that's all."

"But she liked you, didn't she?"

"No, Ro! She was just curious to meet someone like her. I had met a lot of synthoids in my life, but not she. That was her first experience."

"Love at first sight!"

"Love at first sight was what happened to you the moment when you saw my Zee appearance for the first time."

"You…" I couldn't help but laugh, flapping him on the chest with my fist.

He tenderly took my hand and even more tenderly unwrapped my fingers from the fist. Then he kissed my palm. "And love at first sight was what happened to me when I met you, Ro. Believe me, she's just a new friend of ours. And besides, I like when you're so jealous. That means you still love me the same way as in the beginning, don't you?"

I didn't answer him. I still looked at him with a little disbelief, but I couldn't fight a smile.

He wrapped his arms around my waist, slowly and gently pulling me closer to him, and he kissed me…

Well…

That was a good point.

And for sure that was all I needed to know—now.

The door slid again and Annabel, followed by Dr. Simon, entered the office. He smiled faintly, with something more than common sarcasm. There was something in his expression which cut us both to the quick.

Yes, I was sure Zee had felt it as well. He didn't let me go. He now hugged me around my shoulders as if to protect me.

"A pair of infatuated doves! How touching! Ha-ha-ha!" Dr. Simon laughed openly harsh, with unhidden contempt. "You have to watch your back, Zeta, more than your cred card!"

It seemed like he would merely pat Zee on the shoulder as some friendly gesture, but he hit Zee on the back.

Zee cried of pain, his material covering was able to feel…what…oh, no! His back flashed in sparks, his whole body arched backward, his hologram vanished and he fell to the ground among his white-green light, which still blazed his Zee appearance…then his synthoid's white eyes died away, becoming black. And he remained lying motionless, in his metal synthoid's form, with a containment shell plunged in his back…

Annabel's hologram vanished the moment Zee cried of pain. Obviously she had panicked at his suffering, a subconscious reaction of hers…

I didn't pay attention to her.

I kneeled beside Zee…

There was nothing around I could use to pry the electronic spider off his back…

"Get her!" ordered Dr. Simon to Annabel.

And although a little bit hesitantly, she held me with her warm metal hands and forced me to stand up.

She didn't cause me pain, even if her hands were strong enough to bruise me. I knew there was no chance for me to escape them, but I twisted and tried to fight her while she dragged me toward some other room…

to be continued…

A/N Thank you for reading! Thank you so much to the few readers who still read and comment this story. Please keep telling me what you think, it's really important to me! I wish I could say to those who don't read it that I'm disappointed and I'm feeling down because of the low interest toward this story, but there's no way for them to see this, so I want to thank once again to those who are still reading. I'm waiting for your reviews, you are the reason to keep posting this story.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Zeta Project'. I do not own any of its characters. It's just a fanfic.

I own George's, Dr. Richard Simon's and Annabel's characters.

As English isn't my native language, I want to thank Purple-Rosie and Wtchcool for their editing help on this chapter.

The Right Thing

by Iglika

Chapter 9

**Ro's point of view**

Without saying a word, Annabel twisted my arms behind my back to lock my wrists in handcuffs and then she made me to sit in a chair. She gave me a long, silent look and left the room.

Of course. There was nothing I can use to set myself free.

I tried to pull my wrists out of the handcuffs, but it was impossible.

Great.

That crazy man and his synthoid managed to catch us.

But why?

What was the sense of this as soon as Zee was free already?

And why all the scientists we ever met were so evil with Zee, trying to catch him in order to have a slave or to betray him? Bucky, Dr. Aroyu, Dr. Boyle…

Actually not only the scientists were that way, but almost every human we met. The no-tech leader, Meg, Plug and Buss…Even my own brother collaborated with the NSA first. And now George. And this Dr. Simon. Was this just a human demerit?

Or maybe George wasn't involved? Even if he wasn't, I still didn't get why Dr. Simon caught Zee. We came here voluntarily...

Maybe Dr. Simon didn't plan to make Zee a human at all. Then why did the doctor need Zee? To have another servant? Zee was different. He can't be anyone's servant…

The door slid aside and Dr. Simon entered the room. With his hands in the pockets of his white overall, he looked at me with a thinly-stretched smile.

"I'm sorry to treat you like that, Rosalie, but knowing your temperament, this was more than necessary. Ro Rowen - the real action hero!"

This time he almost laughed and I felt the irresistible wish to slap him in the face.

"Why do you need Zee? What did you do to him?"

"As I thought, you're not a patient person." Dr. Simon sat in a chair opposite to me. "I really wonder how some impulsive girl like you managed to stay with a naïve robot like Zeta so many years. You need to know everything here and now. How did you endure not seeing the result of your efforts to find Zeta's freedom immediately?"

I had no intention to answer, but it seemed that the doctor was aware of this.

"I'll explain you everything, Rosalie. And I do hope that by the end of our conversation, you will thank me for helping you to open your eyes."

I daringly lifted up my chin. There was nothing this man could convince me. I can't be agreeing with him for anything. Moreover if he will try to turn me against Zee.

So I said nothing. I merely kept looking at the scientist with the whole hate I had.

He didn't pay attention to me though. Obviously he had planned what to tell me and he will do it no matter what my attitude was.

"Since the real Annabel left me, I had enough time to think."

The real Annabel left him? But Annabel the synthoid had conveyed information to Zee that the Dr. Simon's wife was dead…

The doctor nodded, "Yeah, the information Annabel has is that my wife is dead. It was humiliating enough that my wife left me. I told her that she will be dead to the world and for me. She was agreeing. The new identity even inspired her to begin the new life she dreamed of. What a fool I was! To love a woman! Why? Only to feel a terrible pain when this woman will decide to go away. But I was really mad of love. I built Annabel to replace the real one. How stupid I was to think that a robot could love me! Illusions! A robot could be devoted, but merely as a servant. Don't look at me that way. Your Zeta is no different. You will see. Why did I need him? To make him a human, yes, or at least something very close to a human being. I found a way to transform a synthoid in a biological creature too similar to a real human being. Revolution in the science, yes. I needed a synthoid for the test. Zeta was the best candidate as he wanted to become a human. But I desisted. As soon as Annabel doesn't love me it was of no use to make her a human being. I'm changed, Rosalie. I realized that I have to arrange my life in the better way. I am an extraordinary genius. I need a special woman who will convey my genes in the next generations. My kids have to be better than me. So I made a list of women who can be the better mothers of my kids. They have outstanding personalities and are clever women. You are the first one in this list. I don't talk about love, Rosalie. I merely offer you a deal."

"I'm not a womb for rent!" I snapped, feeling that if my eyes were able to radiate lighting, I'll kill this man with one single look.

"Of course you're not a womb for rent, my dear! You are an amazing young woman! Don't you see that everything is arranged as if there is a high sign over us? I chose you, but I didn't believe I would have you. You had to marry George. Poor thing! If he only knew how he helped me, bringing you both to me! Anyway. Suddenly this marriage was ruined and you are here!"

"I'm here because I want to marry Zee and you had promised George to make Zee a human!"

"It will be better for you if you will forget Zeta. He's just a robot, Rosalie. You and I are so alike, don't you see? We both fell in love with robots, but that's crazy, that's unnatural. You will see that this is wrong. I don't try to say that your feelings toward him are unreal. I'm trying to help you to realize that this must remain in the past. Like the romantic first love. Just a beautiful memory. You don't need him. His unlimited cred card will be canceled very soon. What can a robot probably give you? An imitation of the real life. Something false as his hologram. You don't need Zeta. You don't need George. You need me. You will live like a queen if you will become my wife. Once again I remind you I don't talk about feelings. We are smart people, you and me. We merely need to arrange our life in the best way. I need a woman to give birth to my kids. And you need a stable life. You deserve to live in luxury. You have to be held in high esteem. And you can have all this with me."

I said nothing. I looked straight to this man's eyes and I was sure that he perfectly understood what my expression was telling him. It was: No! No, no, no! Million times no! Ever!

All I wanted to know now was what had happened to Zee. Where was he? What had Simon done to him?

But I knew I wouldn't receive any answers to my questions. So I kept saying nothing, trying to force my eyes not to dim with tears.

I wouldn't allow this monster to triumph over me. I wouldn't show weakness. Ever.

But Simon had read my thoughts.

And he slyly smirked. "I know you are anxious about Zeta. But that will pass. Believe me. You are above some stupid feelings toward a robot. Moreover as he will forget about you. Yes, he will. That was my plan B and now it's about to be fulfilled. It's very simple, Rosalie. Zeta and Annabel are synthoids. They could be together, they could marry or whatever two robots could do. He will remain for you, like I already said, just as everyone's first love - very romantic, but impossible to continue. And if he really has some feelings toward you, as you are thinking, then you'll be his first love too. Just a nice memory, which he could share with his little robot kids, ha-ha! Yeah, he's a robot, Rosalie. The reality is different than your blind in loved eyes could see. A human being can't marry a robot. You need a live human - and here I am. So? What you will say?"

Zee wouldn't forget about me! He will never leave me! Ever!

He will rescue me! We will escape this trap as we have always done!

I kept saying nothing, so Simon removed some invisible specks of dust from his white overall. "Unlike you, I'm a very patient person, my dear. We will have all the time we need. Behind this door" and he nodded toward the second door in the room, "you will find a bed and everything you will need. I'll remove the handcuffs of course, but after a while. For now they help me to convince you that you have no chance to escape. Yes, my dear, you will be my precious prisoner. Till the day you will say 'yes' to my offer."

to be continued…

A/N I want to write here a special thanks to the two readers, the only ones, who still read and comment this story. Thank you so much, Wtchcool and Umbre0n! If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't keep posting the chapters of this story. I honestly thought this story would have readers' interest... well, hope dies last, so I do still hope TZP fans will read and comment...


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Zeta Project'. I do not own any of its characters. It's just a fanfiic.

I own Dr. Richard Simon's and Annabel's characters.

As English isn't my native language, I want to thank Aldebaran8423 for her editing help on this chapter.

Too much time passed since I posted Chapter 1 and as it's connected with this chapter, I'm afraid you have to re-read Chapter 1 and I hope it wouldn't be annoying for you :)

The Right Thing

by Iglika

Chapter 10

I always loved to look at the starry night sky.

But not now, lying paralyzed on the ground.

I closed my eyes.

I wanted to see Ro. I wanted to hear her voice.

At least I was able to play the files with my records of her over and over again.

Ro had told me human memories are a vague picture of what had happened. No matter how hard you try, you could never have a completely precise image in your mind.

_'So I am the lucky one,' _I bitterly smiled to myself.

I could see Ro in my internal vision, next to scrolling columns of data.

I could see her. I could hear her. She was so real…

She was as real as a record could be.

I couldn't touch her.

I couldn't talk to her…

I bit my lips and squeezed my eyelids shut even more tightly.

I knew it was useless, but there was only one thing I could try - to attempt to send a distress signal.

I had no data where my location was, but if someone could detect my call for help, it would be easy to determine where I was although I wasn't very optimistic about the outcome. The range of my signal wasn't too great so if the forest I was in was too far away from any human presence, I had no chance to be heard. And plus – I needed a listener, a radio operator on the right frequency who could pick up my signal. Or maybe someone like Bucky who had a special interest in robots.

Of course it was risky. Most of the humans I had met had betrayed me while I was fighting for my freedom, while I had been a fugitive. I doubted that now would be any different. No matter that I had won my freedom, I was still a synthoid. A robot. Human nature was mistrustful. And most people were inclined to treat a metal man like a servant. Like a soulless object and not a person, worthy enough for at least some respect.

But potential risks would not stop me from sending this signal, my last hope.

Also, there was a slight chance for a synthoid to detect my signal. If it was an Infiltration Unit on a mission, he would probably report to the NSA about me. That would be a good possible outcome. The agents weren't my enemies anymore. They would help me, I was sure of it. But if the synthoid decided that I was a threat, he would destroy me, maybe thinking my self-destruct system was damaged and the help I needed was to cover some aborted mission. If the synthoid was like IU7, there was no chance for a normal conversation. If it was a synthoid like Annabel, then perhaps I would be able to explain what had happened to me.

I put the signal on automatic play, airing at equal intervals. At times, I thought that there were some good sides of being a synthoid. I could play the files of my memories. I was able to send this signal. I was a lucky man, indeed.

But this time I wasn't even able to try a bitter smile.

Ro.

Where was she?

What had happened to her?

Was she safe and well?

I had to find a chance to be repaired and find her.

Yes, I still had hope that I would move again.

Hope dies last.

And I had hope.

Because of Ro.

I will hope.

Till my last spark of energy fades…

"Zee? Where are you?"

Annabel?!

I didn't hear her voice; it was a signal, sent by her the way she sent me her ID the moment Ro and I entered Dr. Simon's house…

This was odd. How was it possible for her to detect me?

From all potential options to have Annabel find me was the best which could occur, but…

How was this possible?

My signal had limited range, I was sure of this. Annabel should not have been able to receive it if she was too far away from me. Was she out here trying to find me? Was Ro with her? Maybe Ro had sent her to look for me.

It seemed too good to believe. Most likely Annabel was alone. And I had to be very cautious. I had made a mistake trusting Simon. Now I didn't want to repeat my error by blindly trusting Annabel.

So I kept trying to figure out the situation.

If I was very far away from Simon's house, Annabel wouldn't have caught my signal. But since I was in range of her, that meant only one thing - I was on Simon' s estate.

Obviously Simon was sure that no one would find me on his own property.

But since Annabel apparently walked around the estate wherever she wanted to - that meant Simon might have no idea about our capability to send private messages and communicate wirelessly with one another. And that was very strange. He should know everything about Annabel, he was her creator. How was it possible for him not to know the abilities of his own creation?!

There was only one answer to that.

He had illegally acquired the schematics according to which he had built her. And apparently he didn't know all the capacities of the parts involved in her construction. That was very weird, indeed, but I had gotten used to accepting that humans were able to be endlessly illogical. Ro had often told me that I was clueless. But from what I knew of humans, they were often clueless, too, and often unpredictable. Anything was possible when it came to human beings.

"Zee? What was that SOS? Are you in trouble? If you really need some help, I have to find you. Tell me where you are!"

Annabel definitely had no idea about the condition I was in.

Could I tell her what had happened to me?

And how would she react when she learned the one who damaged me was her creator?

Could I trust her?

I wouldn't know the answers unless I told her the truth.

"Annabel? I'm completely paralyzed and my orientation system doesn't work. I have no idea where I am. I hope you can estimate my location."

"Yes, I can. You're not too far away. I'm coming."

I bit my lips again, trying to fight a happy smile this time. The starry night sky above me was as indifferent to my joy as it had been to my sorrow.

I didn't dare ask Annabel if Ro was with her. Ro always complained that it was hard to surprise me. So if she wanted to astonish me now by convincing Annabel to speak and act as if Ro wasn't with her, I didn't want to ruin the surprise.

As I couldn't move my head and my eyes looked straight above me, I heard Annabel's steps long before I was able to see her. I didn't hear any other steps along with hers, but I tried to reassure myself that Ro was much lighter than Annabel and that was the reason I wasn't able to hear her steps...

Annabel came closer to me and finally she came into my field of view.

She was in her human appearance, wearing a hologram of a tight silver jumpsuit.

And she was alone.

"Where is Ro?" I asked, completely aware that my eyebrows had pulled into a frown of mistrust and fear, which I wasn't able to hide.

Annabel frowned in her turn. She tossed back her long red hair and said with an almost offended tone, "You are reputed to be a very polite person. I thought you would at least say a 'Hi' or 'Thanks for coming' or something."

"I'm sorry, Annabel. I'm thankful that you found me. But I'm very worried about Ro. Where is she? How is she?"

"She's fine," answered Annabel, somehow too nervously. "She's in Dr. Simon's house."

"Then why didn't she come with you?"

"She has no idea that…Look, I was just out walking in the woods. It's a habit that I have. I thought Dr. Simon sent you on a mission…what happened to you?" She knelt on one knee beside me and asked in a softer tone, "Who did this to you?"

I had anticipated this question. And the answer would be the hardest answer I ever had to give.

"I could lie to you, Annabel. But I think only the truth will help you prevent something similar from happening to you, too." I took a long pause and I added slowly, looking her in the eyes, "It was Dr. Simon."

She drew back, as if I had slapped her, and she rose up.

"Annabel! Don't go! Please!" I called out, but she didn't answer.

to be continued…

Please review! Your silence discouraging me. Once again a special thanks to the two readers, the only ones, who still read and comment this story. Thank you so much, Wtchcool and Umbre0n! If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't keep posting the chapters of this story.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Zeta Project'. I do not own any of its characters. It's just a fanfiic.

I own Dr. Richard Simon's and Annabel's characters.

As English isn't my native language, I want to thank Aldebaran8423 and Wtchcool for their editing help on this chapter.

The Right Thing

by Iglika

Chapter 11

**Zee's POV**

Annabel went out of the field of my vision and I had to rely on my sharp hearing in order to guess what she was doing. She was still there, but she walked back and forth like someone who was very upset and trying to make a decision. I knew she could run away, so I didn't call her again as I didn't want to scare her more than she already was. Her whole world was shaken and about to fall apart so I kept silent.

The little dead twigs on the ground crackled under her feet, but she paid no attention.

After several minutes she came back in range of my eyes and with her arms crossed she said one word, "Why?"

"I don't know. He has to have some serious reason to want me to die."

"Ro?"

"What about her?" I asked quickly, without trying to hide my fear.

"You love her more than your own life, don't you?" Annabel's voice had become softer.

"Yes, I do. But what is it? Where's Ro?"

"Simon locked her up."

"He locked her up?!"

"Well, yes, she's his prisoner, but let me explain…if this can be explained at all…"

Annabel began to pace back and forth again, as if she had forgotten that I wasn't able to move my head in order to follow her with my gaze.

My helpless condition, lying paralyzed like that on the ground, was the most humiliating thing I had ever experienced.

But worst of all was that Annabel wasn't in any hurry to help me. Of course I wanted to know why Simon kept Ro a prisoner, but time was ticking away - Annabel could tell me everything on our way back to the house. She had to try to help me. I had to save Ro! That was the most important thing now! But I had no choice. I had to have Annabel on my side. She was the only one who could help me now. I couldn't lose her, no matter the cost. And that included patience. I just had to have a lot of patience with her. She didn't think like me. She didn't understand my worry. Probably because she knew more about Simon than I did and she was sure he wouldn't harm Ro. Or maybe because for Annabel, the terrified feeling that you will lose the one you love was foreign to her.

"I thought…," she said without stopping her nervous walk to and fro. "I thought that what he told me about Ro was true. He said they had some business to conduct and because she's too hasty he had to keep her locked up for her own good."

"Business? What kind of business could they have?!"

"I don't know. Maybe this was a lie, like he lied when he said that he had sent you on a mission."

And just as suddenly as she had begun to walk, she knelt beside me again.

"I have to check your systems, Zee, in order to find out what exactly is damaged in you." She released the wire from her right wrist and reached out her other hand in order to turn me over onto my stomach and make a connection into the port on my back.

I frowned as threateningly as I could. It was the only way I could try to stop her.

"We don't have time for this, Annabel," I said in a tone of voice which brooked no contradiction. "I can tell you which of my parts are missing."

She frowned as well, as she had a few minutes ago, as if her expressions were some kind of an echo of my own behavior. "I can't rely on what you think! You are damaged. It's quite possible that you can't check your systems the right way. What? Why are you smiling now? What's so funny?"

"You make me realize how much I have changed. Ro always wanted me not to react like a precise machine. So I've gotten used to this, I'm afraid. What you say is right. I spoke rashly as an imprecise human. I'm sorry."

"But you don't seem too disappointed that you talked like that, like a human."

"Well…no, I'm not." I didn't fight a new smile. "I worked so hard to become more and more human."

"You puzzle me… Anyway. I'll do the check as fast as I can. What's the matter now?"

Annabel was confused by my expression. And I was confused myself. Two emotions-trust and mistrust-were warring inside me. Although Annabel looked completely different from Ro, something in her reminded me of Ro. It was something as indefinable as the resemblance between sisters. That was why I was so glad to meet Annabel, not only because she was a synthoid like me, but because she reminded me of Ro. But I doubted Ro would ever understand this so I hadn't gone into details. Reassuring her that she was the only one I loved was the main thing. When we were reunited, though, I would explain more about my reasons for reacting to Annabel.

And secondly…time wasn't able to make my memories fade, as humans said happened to them. The memory of Meg was strong...the teenage "freedom fighter", who had offered to help me when she really wanted to shut me down and take me apart...and the terrifying memory of the cable, which she had plugged into my back panel, followed by the betrayal of the electric shock which caused paralyzing, inexplicable pain even to my metal body...

I couldn't tell Annabel anything about either of these two reasons.

I wasn't sure Annabel liked Ro and my comparing her to Ro might cause me to lose Annabel's help. And I could offend Annabel if I told her about Meg and my concerns about accessing my back…

I had decided to trust Annabel. So I had to keep taking that risk – it was my only choice.

"Nothing." I wasn't able to shake my head in order to assure her that it was really something which didn't matter. The only thing I could do was lift my eyebrows. "Just a bad memory. You may turn me over."

She did it like I was nothing more than a log and my face sank into the deep grass. I was lucky I didn't need to breathe. Otherwise I would have a mouth full of dirt, grass up my nose and I'd have suffocated already.

I dropped my hologram and the material covering of my back, and Annabel plugged her wrist cable into my panel, but she was doing the check so slowly! I clearly understood that she didn't want to cause me more damage, but every minute was precious, thinking of Ro, locked up and tormented.

I didn't voice my concerns though. From what I knew about Annabel so far she was very easily intimidated and flustered so I didn't want to make her more worried than she already was.

So I tried to sound encouraging. "You can take your time. I won't go anywhere."

"You made a joke," she stated in a flat manner, which made me wish I could sigh.

She was desperately far away from any normal human reaction to a joke. I couldn't help but think how Ro had had so much patience with me in teaching me to understand jokes and even more - to make them.

I really had to have a lot of patience with Annabel, so I said calmly, "You can learn to make jokes too. It took me a long time, but it's not impossible."

"Is it so necessary?" she asked in the same indifferent mode.

"Yes, it is. It's an integral part of normal human behavior."

"And why do we have to mimic everything they do?"

"Because humans are our examples."

"And what if we are a new kind of being? Primates are very human-like, but they aren't humans. They are animals."

"I thought some synthoids might think that way. It's a matter of choice. I don't think that synthoids can become something more than humans or even something on a level with humans if they behave only as synthoids do."

"We are immortal and so much stronger than any human."

"That's not enough. Length of life or physical strength aren't the most important things. A conscience, and feelings, these are the important parts of a being. And those are human characteristics. You can't avoid this. If you want to be something more than just a machine, you have to strive for something more, something better."

"Of course you would talk like that. You have a conscience chip. There it is," she noted with a flat voice again. Then she asked with icy irony, "But do I have one?"

Her inhuman tone and rough touch brought me to a terrifying realization-she tricked me!

I didn't have to allow her to plug the wire into my back! She didn't want to help me-she had been sent by Simon in order to check on my condition and if it seemed like I still had a chance to live, she was ordered to destroy me!

Why had I been so naïve again!

I gathered all of my strength to try to turn over…

I couldn't.

I couldn't move.

I couldn't do anything to stop Annabel.

I closed my eyes and clenched my teeth waiting for the electricity to course through my body…

I'm sorry, Ro…I hope you will understand. I took the risk for you. I did it for you, Ro…my dear. I had to try anything to save you…and I failed…

to be continued…

A/N There's no point to try to beg for reviews those who don't read, so to those who still read this story - thank you so much for reading! And... please review :)


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Zeta Project'. I do not own any of its characters. It's just a fanfiic.

I own Dr. Richard Simon's and Annabel's characters.

As English isn't my native language, I want to thank Aldebaran8423 and Wtchcool for their editing help on this chapter.

A little bit longer chapter this time, but I hope you will enjoy it!

The Right Thing

by Iglika

Chapter 12

**Ro's point of view**

I can't do this!

I can't do this…

I can't…

But…I have to!

I have to!

I have to do this!

I have no other chance to set myself free and help Zee.

I knew he was in trouble. I could sense it. I had experienced this feeling so many times before.

How was this possible - Zee was a synthoid...

He was a person. Our souls were bound together, and when we were separated, his suffering echoed in me, as it did now.

And plus – in addition to this feeling, I had a logical reason to be worried about him. I was sure that that freak Simon would try to reprogram Zee. But Zee's conscience chip wouldn't allow anyone to reprogram him and when Simon realized this, in his anger, he would try to destroy Zee.

I paced back and forth across the room like those wild animals in the past Zee had shown me on the Net, which had been kept in zoos in small metal cages.

I was kept in a cage now.

And I was no less wild than those animals.

I was enraged.

I wished I could throw myself on Simon and punch his lights out.

That definitely was my style. But it would be useless. I knew it from bitter experience.

I looked around the room for the millionth time. It was a real prison cell. A bed, a table and a chair, all bolted to the floor. There was nothing I could use to hit Simon.

I stopped in front of the built-in wall mirror.

The last time I was alone and looked at myself in a mirror I saw a beautiful, but very sad bride.

Now I was seeing an ordinary, but terribly determined young woman.

My brows were knit even now, as I looked at myself. Because I was angry at me.

Although Zee was still naïve and always inclined to think positively about people, we both had been suspicious of Simon. So why had we allowed him to catch us in this trap? Why didn't I grab Zee's hand and run away with him like I wanted to? This was all my fault. And I had to make it right.

I tucked my short blonde hair back behind my ears, and I kept looking at my reflection.

Simon had no idea that aside from the "action hero" that I am, I am also a bulldozer. That's right—a bulldozer. My Grandpa gave me that name. The day I reunited with my brother, he said that I'm still a little bulldozer.

A bulldozer in the shape of an almost fragile girl. But I wasn't as fragile as I looked…

I can do this.

I have to.

No, I can't!

But…I have to!

I'm a bulldozer, I'll make it!

I bit my lips as if I expected to feel physical pain. And then…

I unbuttoned my shirt a little bit more than I usually did. It wasn't too shocking, but since Simon claimed to know me so well, he would notice. I slid my hands over my shirt and jeans, smoothing them more tightly against my body and I tried a flirtatious look along with a provocative pose…

Eeww! Gross!

Flirting with Simon! Eeewww!

But I had to! It was my only chance to escape.

What was more disgusting – crawling through a tunnel filled with rats or flirting with Simon?

It was the second one, for sure. But I began to say to myself what I had said when I had to enter the tunnel full of rats to rescue Zee from Krick: _'This is for Zee! This is for Zee!'_

I had to get out of this room and find a way to render Simon harmless and then I could escape.

I pushed the button of the intercom.

Simon's voice answered me immediately with an awful oily tone, "Yes, Rosalie?"

I wanted to throw up, but I managed to make my voice seductive enough. "I want to see you, Richard. I have a proposal for you and I'm sure you will like it."

o O o

**Zee's point of view**

There was no explosion.

Instead I heard Annabel cry out, "I can't do this!" and unplugging her wrist cable from my back, she rose up and ran a few steps away from me.

"Annabel? Annabel, are you still here? Can you turn me over, please, I need to see you!"

"You don't need to see me! I betrayed you!"

"No, you didn't! You were only following Simon's orders. I can understand that."

"Zee, you can't forgive me just like that! I was about to destroy you!"

"It's not just like that. I told you. I understand you."

"Even so! You can't forgive me so fast!"

"Obviously I can, just like you can turn me over. It's a little bit uncomfortable for me to carry on a conversation with my face buried in the grass, don't you think?"

"You keep on making jokes, Zee, even now, that's incredible!" said Annabel and for the first time I detected a sincere smile in her voice.

I heard her steps come back toward me. "Let me see, you can't move but maybe…Let me try something," she added and without any effort she turned me over, then dragged me to a tree and she sat me with my back against the trunk. "Now it's better, isn't it?" She managed to smile, although it was still a confused smile.

"Yes, it is. Thank you. Well… I feel as if I'm some kind of puppet, but it's not your fault."

She didn't answer, but knowing that I couldn't lift my head in order to look at her, she sat on the ground opposite me, leaning her back against a tree too.

My hologram sparked for a moment, but I managed to stabilize it. I kept losing energy, but I needed my human appearance, my Zee appearance, my identity. No matter how bad my condition was, I'd keep my human individuality for as long as it was possible.

Still with lowered eyes, Annabel crossed her arms, placing her hands on each opposite shoulder, as though she felt cold, and her hologram flashed too. At first I thought that she involuntarily imitated the instability of my hologram, but she did it purposely. Annabel changed the color of her jumpsuit from silver to black, making it a tight black leather jumpsuit. It definitely was a reflection of the way she felt right now. The silver color was too bright. She was terribly guilty. And that was the reason for the black color of her outfit.

I said nothing though. I waited for her, and after some more minutes she murmured without looking me in the eyes again, "I'm so sorry, Zee."

"It's okay. I understand."

But she shook her red haired head, still avoiding my eyes. "I did something terrible. And it's not just that I tried to destroy you. I lied to you the whole time." She put both her hands on her forehead, covering her face. "That awful man…Simon is a monster!"

"Yes, he is."

"I can't believe I was ready to do anything he wanted me to do!"

"That's only natural. You acted like any synthoid without a conscience chip would act."

"But you believed me, Zee! Why? I'm not even a good actress!"

"No, you were quite believable."

"Why did you believe me?" she repeated, still with her hands to her forehead.

"Because I hoped your conscience chip would activate."

"I don't have a conscience chip."

"On the contrary, you do."

She shook her head again, "No, I don't. I was about to destroy you!"

"But you didn't. I was about to kill a human, when my chip activated. I didn't do it either. Just like you."

Annabel put her hands on her knees, meeting my gaze. "Eugene Dolan?"

"Yes. You can watch this file of mine, if you want to."

She bit her lips and avoided my eyes again. "I didn't mean the name of the file. I already watched it while I was checking your systems. I'm sorry."

"You are curious." I overcame my anger with a bitter smile. "Like a real woman. And I have to admit you're very skillful. I didn't notice your access."

"I'm not that skillful." She took a twig from the ground, broke it in two and threw it away. "You're just too damaged, that's all," she said, without looking at me again. "You are too kind to me. I don't deserve it."

"Don't be so hard on yourself."

She shook her head once more. "You are too nice. How can you offer to let me see this file, knowing that I would have to connect my cable to you again? How can you trust me after all I did to you?"

"Now you are different. Your conscience chip has activated now. You won't harm me."

"How can you be so sure?" Annabel's green eyes flashed with a strange combination of anger and hope. "I don't even know if I have a conscience chip at all!"

"I didn't know that I had one either," I said calmly. "But you decided not to destroy — that means you have that chip and it's activated."

Annabel lowered her head, then slowly lifted her face and looked me in the eyes. "So now I'm like you?"

"Yes, you are."

She didn't fight a real smile and I added, "You can restore the silver color of your jumpsuit. Your soul is not black. Your conscience chip works just fine."

She shrugged her shoulders. "Nevertheless. I'll keep it this way. The black color blends better in the darkness."

I nodded. "True."

She nodded too and then tilted her head like a thoughtful child. "When you realized that your orders weren't just and that you were forced to do something wrong…you simply…ran away?"

A little wrinkle had formed between her thin reddish eyebrows, and her look had become even more insistent.

I didn't answer immediately though. I had to be very careful. Again. She really was like a little child. She still didn't care that I was trapped in my own body. She wasn't worried about Ro, either. She was curious to know a lot of things and the fact that I was here now, paralyzed and helpless, tempted her to get as much information from me as she could.

All I wanted to say now was that when I set Ro free, we'd have plenty of time for conversation, but Annabel was different from me. She was slower in her conclusions, so I had to be patient. Ro's life was at stake.

And I had to answer Annabel's question.

"Yes. I ran away."

"So…it's normal that I don't want to be Simon's property anymore…" she said thoughtfully and added, "And…Dolan's daughter…this little child changed your life?"

"Yes. Her love towards me, while she thought that I was her father, changed me. And… there was also her mother. Mrs. Dolan thought that I was her husband and her attitude towards me was one of pure and tender love. It wasn't only a decision that I had no right to take any human life. A dream was born in me that moment. A dream that I would someday experience this happiness not as a substitute husband, but like a real one, who would have these gifts. A husband who would have the love and the trust of a wife, of a child. The incredible feeling of being a Daddy… The incredible feeling that I'm loved and the family I have depends on me."

"But Zee…we are synthoids…we are so strong, almost almighty…"

"To love and be loved is the greatest of all our abilities, Annabel."

She nodded. "The child did have a sweet smile. And Mrs. Dolan was so kind and tender toward you, but…why didn't I change seeing the same things you had seen?"

"Because you merely watched these moments. I experienced them. When you faced your own dilemma if it's right to destroy or not, you decided not to kill. And I'm not even a human being. You determined what is wrong and what is right. You should be proud of yourself!"

"You still puzzle me. But I know you're telling the truth."

"I always tell the truth."

"Then tell me…" Annabel almost whispered, " 'Sleeping face to face with Ro'? What does that mean?"

This time I looked at her with real anger and she added quickly, "I'm so sorry, Zee, I should have asked you for permission…"

"It's not about asking permission! There are some things you shouldn't ask at all!"

"I'm sorry, Zee, I was so curious…but…this time it's just the name of the file. I didn't open it…"

"Well, I'm thankful that you didn't. It's a private memory. It's not just a file from Infiltration Unit records. It's the memory of a person – me! And one other person is involved, too."

"I'm really sorry…but…tell me, please, do you really sleep? I thought…"

"I don't sleep. But humans sleep. To have Ro sleeping trustfully in my arms is so wonderful."

"She slept in your arms even before you both knew that you love each other?"

"Yes, she got used to falling asleep in my arms. Our fugitive life, the constant threat that the agents would catch us…Ro felt safe in my arms. Feeling my arms around her, she felt protected."

"And you got used to lying on a bed?"

"Yes, I'm always trying to act more human."

Annabel paused and for several minutes she didn't move her gaze from my shoulder as if she was tempted to turn me over and enter my memories again without asking me. So I said as calmly as I could, "What else do you want to know?"

"I want…n-n-n-ever mind" She glanced away for a moment and then she looked at me again. "Why don't I want to become a human?"

"Because you don't have a reason."

"Does that mean love is everything? Is love the only reason for great dreams?"

"Not the only one, but certainly the strongest one. Of everything I have learned from the human world so far, that's the most beautiful thing—to love and to be loved."

"Simon built me to replace his wife. He expected me to love him, but for me he was only my boss and all I felt was respect. Then he said that I'd fall in love with you, but that didn't happen. Do you think I'll ever fall in love?"

"I couldn't begin to guess, I'm afraid. It depends on you and the humans or synthoids you will meet. You can't order your heart to fall in love with someone. If it ever happens, it will just happen, in an unexpected instant."

"Simon thought you would leave Ro because of me, but that didn't happen either."

"Is that a problem? Since you're not in love with me, I think it's all right."

"Of course. But…I still wonder…were you programmed to love?"

"No. That is just an ability we have. We have feelings and a conscience and being able to love is something that is a real possibility."

"But you didn't know that you'd fall in love with Ro, right? It just happened? Like it's written in books and happens in vids?"

"Yes." I wished I could tell her more about it, but we were running out of time…

"Sounds so beautiful!" Annabel smiled with a dreamy look somewhere at the trees behind me.

I waited for some seconds and then made a coughing sound, as people do when they want to catch someone's attention.

She didn't react though, so I called her, "Annabel? My system for using hydrogen for constant recharging is damaged - I'm losing power. I'm afraid I'll shut down very soon."

"Oh, no! Zee!" Annabel jumped to her feet and knelt beside me. "I'm so sorry! But it's your fault! Why did you allow me to question you for so long! You're too nice! Much too nice!"

I didn't manage to answer. A sharp shower of sparks made my vision blur and distort.

"No! Zee! Don't shut down! Please hold on! Take energy from me! I'll use my systems to control your body! You will be able to walk… Just hold on! Zee! Hold on!"

She plugged her wrist cable into my back and I detected how she commanded my hand to lift up and plug my wrist cable into the panel revealed beneath her hologram and the material covering of her back. I felt her energy reviving my systems while she commanded my body to stand up and walk.

We had to reach Simon's lab without being seen in order for Annabel to repair me and then I had to save Ro.

There was a big problem, though.

In giving me her energy, Annabel became affected as if she was damaged too. Just like her energy helped me, my damaged and missing parts affected her ability to use her own systems. Now we both were equally malfunctioning and we could barely walk. Since our wrist cables were plugged into each other's backs, we had to support each other while walking by hugging each other around the waist.

Without saying a word and despite her weakness, Annabel kept her human appearance, just like me.

My suffering had become hers.

And just like me, she felt wounded and abused not just as a synthoid, but as a person.

Suddenly the hologram of my clothes flashed although I had done nothing. It was Annabel. My usual outfit gradated to the same tight black leather jumpsuit she wore.

"I hope you don't mind," Annabel answered my astonished gaze. "It's easier for me to maintain the hologram of the same clothes I have. And I think Ro will like you a lot. You look really tough now, bro!"

Bro? Well…I didn't mind having a sister, it was even nice…I guess…and…I didn't mind my new look either, but… since Ro was already jealous of Annabel, I doubted Ro would easily believe that my relationship with Annabel was only that of a brother and sister. The way Annabel and I were walking, hugged tightly together and wearing the same outfit made us seem like….a couple. What a mess! I hoped Ro wouldn't see us before Annabel could repair me. Maybe I'd keep my new outfit, but I definitely didn't want Ro to see us while Annabel and I were hugging that way.

My newfound sister commanded my free arm to grasp onto the trees for balance, and she used her free arm too, but even with this we could still barely move forward - we often stumbled and reeled like children learning to walk. It would be funny if the situation weren't so serious and dangerous - if we suddenly ran into Simon or his guardian bots, it was very possible that we wouldn't be able to defend ourselves…

to be continued…

Thank you for reading and… just… please, review!


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Zeta Project'. I do not own any of its characters. It's just a fanfiic.

I own Dr. Richard Simon's, George's and Annabel's characters.

As English isn't my native language, I want to thank Aldebaran8423 and Wtchcool for their editing help and also for her ideas and advice.

The Right Thing

by Iglika

Chapter 13

**Ro's point of view**

I ran…

I ran as fast as I could…

I ran through the trees…I stumbled in the dark…I fell…then…I kept running again…

But…

I was tired…

I couldn't catch my breath…

I had to keep running!

I had been a good runner…when…when I had been running with Zee…I…I was a great runner…but…a lot of time had passed since he won his freedom…I was out of shape…

And plus…Simon was stronger than me…and faster…he was going to catch me…

I gathered all my strength and I kept running…

When I broke the window and jumped outside I had no idea where I would land…it was the woods behind Simon's house…I didn't know how I would escape from the estate, but I had to try…I had a headstart on Simon…but he followed me…

Everything went so well at first…I managed to convince him that I really was interested in him. I convinced him to show me his house and he led me out of my prison cell… I told him lies that I didn't care about Zee anymore…and… that he, Simon, was the most handsome and kind man, the only man for me in the whole world…and he swallowed the bait…and then…he…it wasn't like I didn't expect it, but I thought I could bear it…he…he…tried to kiss me…and…there was nothing to grab to hit him with and…I slapped him in the face… and I ruined everything…instead of saving Zee, I had to run for my life…I broke the window…and ran…with Simon on my heels but I couldn't allow that reptile to kiss me…

Zee…where are you…this freak has abnormal strength…I wouldn't be surprised if he had done some experiment on his own body making himself some kind of superhuman…Zee, help me! No-o-o-o!

Simon grabbed me…he was a real monster…he was stronger than any ordinary man…I tried to set myself free…I tried to fight…I kicked him…I used all of my force to escape his grip…but I couldn't…

Holding my arms behind my back with one hand, he began to drag me back toward his house. I kept kicking; I dug my feet in the ground, but I wasn't able to stop Simon or even to slow his progress.

"I'll make you pay for tricking me, sweetheart!" he said through clenched teeth and kept dragging me.

He didn't loosen his hold on me even when a device on the wrist of his free hand began flashing red. With a voice command, Simon turned it on and on its small screen appeared the square metal face of one of his guardian bots.

"Annabel is back, sir. And Zeta is with her."

Simon's face warped in a malevolent smile. "How nice! Let me see them! Our devoted dove here should see this!"

"I beg your pardon, sir?" The bot definitely didn't comprehend Simon's last words.

"It wasn't for you, you tin can! Give me a view of the lab!"

"Yes, sir!" the robot answered with a flat soldier's tone.

Simon stopped and harshly made me look at the screen of his wrist device.

It really was Annabel and…Zee was with her…but…what…why…what was I seeing…? They both had just entered the lab, they were still on the doorstep and…they…they were holding each other, around the waist…and…the holograms of their clothes were…identical…they both wore tight black leather jumpsuits…

Simon laughed. "See? Your sacrifice was completely useless, sweetie! I was certain Zeta would leave you for my beautiful female synthoid. I told you, my dear, Zeta is just a robot. His feelings for you were never real, just shallow mimicry."

I said nothing. I wouldn't allow Simon any triumph over me! Yes, I was seeing Zee hugging Annabel, and jealousy, disappointment and insult tore me to pieces…

But there had to be a logical explanation! There had to be a reason why Zee was behaving like that!

Annabel and Zee moved and before Simon managed to hide the screen from me…

I saw them when they turned their backs to the camera, making their way toward the lab table.

They could barely walk! The reason for their hug was support! Simply support! Zee's wrist cable was connected in Annabel's back and her wrist cable was in his back! They were helping each other! Zee hadn't left me! I knew it! I knew it!

But…Zee was damaged! I was sure he was!

I twisted my body and unable to escape Simon's iron grip, I stomped my heel into his toes with all of my strength.

A new cold laugh from Simon was the only result of my desperate action. Was this man subject to pain at all?!

"I'm sorry I damaged your Zeta so badly, but I needed him as a test for my little Annabel." Simon kept dragging me toward his house. "And don't worry, Annabel won't be able to repair him, I took care of it."

I couldn't fight a wild growl.

I hated to be so helpless!

But Simon would pay for everything he had done to Zee! I swore Simon would pay!

Still dragging me like an animal dragging its prey; Simon pulled me into the house and headed toward his lab.

I thought that he would break down the lab door, but he stopped in front of it and very slowly and noiselessly he opened it. That was odd, why was he being so quiet…

Zee, still wearing the hologram of the tight black leather jumpsuit, was standing near a cabinet full of synthoid components and Annabel worked on the circuits revealed behind the metal panel in his back.

It was obvious that Simon wanted to catch Zee and Annabel unaware and that was why he kept silent, standing with me on the doorstep, and since he wanted quiet, then I had to provide the opposite!

I yelled "Zee!" as loud as I could.

"Ro!" He turned his head toward me.

"Keep quiet, Rowen!" Simon harshly pushed me against the wall and pulled handcuffs from his pocket; he lifted my arms above my head and locked me to some exposed metal ceiling pipes.

Zee's hands formed fists, his lips tightened and his eyes were full of wild anger but he didn't move, apparently waiting for Annabel to finish what she was doing to his back.

"Enough nursemaiding, Annabel!" said Simon and as if from nowhere, a remote control appeared in his hand. "I wasn't sure if your conscience chip would ever function, but you refused to destroy Zeta, so it must be working now! I don't need a synthoid with a conscience chip! You're over, my dear! You will be completely damaged inside. And Zeta will accompany you!"

Simon pushed a button on the remote and Annabel and Zee screamed in pain, their bodies arching backward.

"Zee!" I cried.

He didn't answer me. His face was curved in pain. A spasm threw him forward, his hands slamming against a table, bent double with agony. Annabel jerked forward, smashing her hand into the table too…but only one hand—her left arm was raised and her wrist cable was still in Zee's back.

Simon put his hands in his white lab coat pockets and turned toward me like a professor explaining an experiment to his students. "I need a perfect slave, not a creation with a conscience. But it would be cruel to make Annabel travel this road alone, so I made her stick with her new friend. You can't pull back your cable from him, Annabel, it's useless to try."

"You…perverted monster!" I almost cried in my helpless rage.

"I have something for you too, sweetie!" Simon smiled and took a device, which looked like a mini bazooka, from his lab coat pocket. "Sadly this thing can't make a synthoid become a human, but it is capable of wiping your brain, making it as flat and blank as white paper. Then you will be accommodating enough to do anything for me!" And Simon aimed the device at me…

Then…

Everything happened in a split second…a long and at the same time short instant when… Annabel suddenly detached her wrist cable from Zee's back and the very moment when Simon fired, Zee jumped toward me and before the ray reached me, it hit him…Zee's now wounded side revealed his metal body and the ray reflected off it back toward Simon, hitting him squarely…

Zee hit the ground on his side, sliding from his leap, and then rolled onto his back. The sparking lights of his hologram still projected his Zee appearance, but…the sparking became bigger, brighter and more intense…

Hit by his own device, Simon was on the ground as well, convulsing as if he was dying, but who cared…

"Zee!" I called, trying desperately to break free from the pipes I was chained to. "Zee! Are you alright? Zee!" He didn't answer; he was still lying on the ground, with his human appearance flickering amid the sparking lights…

Annabel, in her human form as well, had collapsed to the ground on her back too. Her long red hair spilled over her black jumpsuit, but there were no sparks around her. She looked unconscious…or dead…was she destroyed inside already?

"Annabel!" I called to her, but she didn't move either…

The lab's door opened and a male voice cried out, "What in heaven's name…Ro! What's happening here?!"

George?!

I never thought I'd be so happy to see him again…

He ran to me, but unable to unlock my handcuffs, he knelt beside Zee…but…George didn't dare touch him because of the sparks…then he turned to look at Annabel…

George definitely was confused and didn't know who to help first or how…

"The key to the handcuffs is in Simon's pocket!" I shouted with desperate impatience.

George ran to Simon, whose body still convulsed…

"There should be a remote control too, get it!" I said.

George unlocked my handcuffs and I fell on my knees beside Zee.

"Zee? Zee! Can you hear me? Zee?" I wasn't afraid of the sparks, his hologram wouldn't harm me and even if they were electric charges it wouldn't stop me. If he was dying, I'd die with him.

I felt little burning needles, when I touched his shoulders, but I didn't draw back my hands. "Don't leave me, Zee! I'm sorry! I'm sorry I was silent for so long! I know now some things have to be said. I want you to know that I love you! I love you, Zee! And I can't live without you! Zee, please! Don't leave me! Please, hold on! You'll be fine…you'll see…I need you, Zee! I need you!"

The sparking became bigger, almost burning my hands. I kept holding his shoulders…but then…his body writhed and he moaned in pain, his eyes still closed.

Did my touch make him suffer?

I tried to draw my hands back, but they were stuck fast to his shoulders…and he shuddered, groaning again…

Terrified, I looked at George for help. "I can't remove my hands from him and that causes him pain!"

"But Ro, look! Something's happening!" said George, his eyes wide.

He was right! A new bright white light had started to move over Zee…starting at his head, then down his neck…and when it reached my hands, I was finally able to remove them…but…the hologram of Zee's black jumpsuit started to disappear, revealing the skin of his bare shoulders… and…the light kept rippling over him, replacing the hologram of his garment with smooth skin…

I couldn't believe my eyes! Zee was becoming human…a flesh and blood human…

He kept moaning in pain and he began to tremble…it must be because of the cold tile floor he was lying on…both arms and his whole chest and back were naked already…

I didn't dare move Zee while the process of transformation was incomplete, but I ran to grab one of the white lab coats and I threw it over him before the light could reveal more of his new body.

Immovable like a stone statue, George, still with the remote in his hand, was looking at Zee in disbelief.

"He…he's becoming human…" George finally managed to whisper.

"Yes, he is," I nodded and still kneeling beside Zee, I pointed to Annabel. "Maybe she's still alive. You can try to wake her up with the remote," and I added at his completely astonished look, "I'm sorry, forgot to tell you she's a synthoid."

George ran to her and knelt beside her, his hands working at the remote control.

The bright white light faded and disappeared - Zee's body was completely changed now! He didn't moan anymore, but he trembled even more violently.

I stroked his hair and tried to move him a little bit…he was almost as heavy as he was before!

"C'mon, Zee…" I pulled him up and leaned his shoulders against me.

He breathed heavily; he really breathed…but his eyes were still closed. I caressed his face, kissing his forehead, his cheek…and his lips…and he almost managed to answer my kiss…

"What happened…?" he whispered.

"You became human, Zee!" I sneaked my hands around his chest.

"But…Simon…"

"Maybe what he said was what he thought would happen, but the moment I touched you, something changed and this process of transformation began."

Zee opened his navy blue eyes, trying to focus on me. He gave me an almost imperceptible smile; his weak hand found my face for a gentle caress and even more tenderly he made me lean over him for another kiss.

Then he looked around the lab.

"Where is Simon?"

"He's over there, behind you. Don't worry; his brain is flat and blank as white paper by now."

"And Annabel?"

I pointed him to the corner of the lab, where George had knelt beside Annabel. He had managed to lean her back against the wall, waiting for her to open her eyes.

And when she did…

Zee smiled, looking at them, and whispered, "If it ever happens, it will just happen, in an unexpected instant."

"I don't understand you, Zee…" I frowned.

He smiled, really amused this time. "I'll explain later."

"You know I hate it when you say that!" I huffed.

He lifted his thick black eyebrows in an innocent expression. "It's the same thing that happened to us when we met for the first time."

I was about to smile, but I pretended that I didn't understand him again. "And what happened when we met for the first time?"

Zee smiled, his hand gently made me bend to him again, he kissed me and whispered with his lips on mine, "The right thing."

The end

A/N If you like this chapter - please review! I have more ideas for more ZeeRo stories and I need to know that you want me to write them. Your reviews will be the reason I'll keep writing. No matter when you will read this story, please review!


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